Electrical contact device



F. M. KREITZ I 1,966,014

ELECTRI CAL CONTACT DEVICE July 10, 1934.

Filed Oct. 17, 1932 Inventor Patented July 10, 1934 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRI CAL CONTACT DEVICE Forrest M. Kreitz', Bethlehem, Pa.,. assignor Paul Sokolachko, Thomas Morgan, and Mary E. Morgan Application October 17, 1932, Serial No. 638,223

1 Claim.-

This invention relates to a contact device for a railway car for contacting a third rail, the general object of the invention being to provide a roller contact and means for yieldingly holding 5 the same against the third rail.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawing by an elevational View, with the third rail and its supporting member in section.

This invention is mainly designed for picking up current from the third rail and applying it to an electrically operated coupling device for coupling one car to another and is particularly adapted for use in connection with toy railway trains.

In this view, the rail is shown at 1 and its insulation supporting member at 2. For engagement with the rail 1 there is provided on each car a vertically shiftable contact roller 32 journaled on a shaft 33 suitably mounted in a U- shaped frame 34 slidably engaged with a vertical rod 35 suspended from a supporting block 36 of insulating material. The block 36 is adapted to be secured to the car frame in any suitable manner, and in a manner to permit the rod 35 to extend downwardly so that roller 32 will engage the rail 1. Frame 34 is normally urged downwardly through the medium of a spring 37 disposed about the rod 35 in a manner to bear against the frame 34 and block 36. To assist in the vertical movement of' the frame 34 shaft 33 at one end is provided with a vertical extension- 33a that has its upper end slidable through a suitable opening provided in the block 36.

Thus it will be seen that the roller 32 is yieldingly held against the rail 1 by the spring 37 and that the member 33a prevents turning movement of the roller and the parts attached thereto during the up and down movement of the parts.

Even though I have herein shown and described 5 the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of further changes, modifications, and im provements coming within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the class described, a supporting member, a rod carried thereby, a frame slidably engaged with the rod, a shaft mounted in the frame, a roller on the shaft, a spring disposed about the rod and engaging the frame for normally holding the frame at one end of the rod, and a right angular extension on one end of said shaft having sliding engagement with the supporting member for guiding the frame in its movement on the rod, and for retaining the same against rotation about said rod as an axis.

FORREST M. KREITZ. 

